Bridging strut



Jan.'13, 1959 P 'A|KEN 2,867,854

- BRIDGING STRUT Filed Jan. 27, 1958 INVENT OR.

Percy Aihf en AT TORNEYS United States Patent BRIDGING STRUT Percy Aiken, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Acrornetal Products, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Application January 27, 1958, Serial No. 711,189

1 Claim. (Cl. 20-9) My invention relates generally to construction material and more particularly to bridging devices conventionally interposed between wooden joists.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of a metal bridging strut which may be installed quicker than any bridging strut heretofore developed and which when installedis strong and durable.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class immediately above described which may be stamped from a single sheet of steel or the like and hence may be produced at a minimum of cost.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class above described which is extremely light in weight, yet strong, and extremely easy to install.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claim and attached drawings. I

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a view in top plan of my novel structure, some parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1, some parts being broken away; and t Fig. 3 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation showing a pair of my novel struts in opera-- tive position between a pair of spaced wooden joists.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates in its entirety an elongated crosssectionally channel-shaped body stamped from sheet metal and comprising upstanding substantially parallel side members 2 and a connecting bottom member 3. As shown particularly in Fig. l, the upper end portions of the side members 2 are outwardly flared as at 4 and are formed to define pointed anchoring teeth 5 which project longitudinally outwardly beyond the adjacent forward end 6 of the bottom member 3. The outward flaring 4 of the side members 2 spaces the anchoring teeth 5 apart greater than the space between the planes of the side members 2, for a purpose which will hereinafter be explained.

As shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 2, the lower end portions of the side members 2 likewise are formed to define pointed anchoring teeth 7; whereas the lower end of the bottom member 3 defines an anchoring tongue 8 which projects longitudinally outwardly of the adjacent anchoring teeth 7, the longitudinally inner extremities of ?atented Jan. 13, 1959 said anchoring tongue 8 being disposed substantially even with the inner extremities of the teeth 7. As shown, the anchoring tongue 8 is provided with a nail or screw receiving aperture 9.

When one desires to attach my novel structures be-v tween a pair of spaced wooden joists A-A, the upper end portion of the body 1 i placed against one of the opposed side surfaces 16 thereof adjacent the upper edge 11, or immediately below a flooring B, if such flooring be present. This position is indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3. The lower end portion of the body 1 is then brought into engagement with the opposed side surface 10 of the spaced joist A adjacent the lower end 12 thereof. Impact thereon by a hammer or other such instrument at a point indicated by the numeral 13 will cause the upper anchoring teeth 5 to penetrate the joist A against which it has been placed, said penetration being limited by engagement of the adjacent upper end 6 of the bottom 3 with said joist. Likewise, such impact will cause simultaneous penetration of the lower anchoring teeth '7 into the joist A engaged thereby, and a straightening out of the anchoring tongue 8, whereby it assumes a parallel relationship with the surface ltl. While such penetration of the anchoring teeth 5, 7 is sufficient to prevent accidental removal thereof under normal circumstances, an additional safeguard in this respect may be had by driving a nail or screw 14 through the aperture 9. Obviously, the wide spacing of the anchoring teeth 5 imparts considerable lateral stability to the device.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely'satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects and while I have shown a preferred embodiment thereof, I wish it to be specifically understood that same is capable of modification without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A strut for bridging spaced wooden joists comprising an elongated channel-shaped body formed from sheet metal and including laterally spaced side members and a connecting bottom member, opposite ends of said side members defining longitudinally outwardly projecting anchoring teeth adapted to penetrate opposed wall surfaces of a pair of spaced joists, the upper end portions of said side members being flared outwardly whereby to increase the spacing between the anchoring teeth defined thereby beyond the planes of said side members, and the adjacent upper end of said bottom member limiting penetration of said teeth into an engaged joist, the lower end of said bottom member defining an anchoring tongue which projects longitudinally outwardly of the adjacent anchoring teeth, the longitudinally inner extremity of said anchoring tongue being disposed substantially even with the inner extremities of said teeth, said tongue being adapted to be bent into parallel relationship with the surface of an adjacent joist and having a perforation therein for the reception of a secondary anchoring device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,803,045 Homer Aug. 20, 1957 

